The invention relates to check cashing.
At present, a substantial portion of the working population does not have a bank account and, for this reason, lacks access to a bank for purposes of cashing paychecks. A number of companies provide check cashing services to this portion of the population.
In some instances, check cashing services are provided from a bullet-proof enclosure. An employee within the enclosure determines whether to cash a customer""s paycheck by referencing a computer database that includes information about the customer (xe2x80x9cthe payeexe2x80x9d) and the customer""s employer (xe2x80x9cthe payorxe2x80x9d). The employee also may contact the payor""s bank in some circumstances. If the employee decides to cash the paycheck, the employee collects an appropriate amount of cash from a cash drawer within the enclosure and provides the cash to the customer.
In other instances, check cashing services are provided by an employee using a computer that is connected to a cash-dispensing machine. The employee determines whether to cash the customer""s paycheck in the manner described above. If the employee decides to cash the check, the employee uses the computer to cause the cash-dispensing machine to dispense an appropriate amount of cash. The employee then provides the cash to the customer. Security provided by the cash-dispensing machine reduces the risk of theft and permits elimination of the bullet-proof enclosure.
The invention provides automated check cashing through unmanned check-cashing units. Automation of the check-cashing process promises to provide tremendous cost advantages, because an employee no longer will be needed to operate each check-cashing unit. Automation of the check-cashing process also promises to increase the level of privacy associated with the check-cashing transaction. For example, there no longer will be any need for an employee to count out the amount of cash provided to the customer while others, such as people waiting in line behind the customer, can overhear the amount.
In one aspect, generally, the invention features an automated check-cashing apparatus that includes an input device configured to generate input signals in response to inputs from a customer presenting a check to be processed, a storage device including a database of customer information, a check reader configured to receive and read the check to be processed, a cash dispenser, and an electronic processor connected to the input device, the storage device, the check reader, and the cash dispenser. The processor is configured to receive the input signals from the input device, receive information about the check to be processed from the check reader, access the database of customer information to obtain data about the customer, and determine automatically whether to accept or reject the check based on the input signals, the received information about the check, and the data about the customer. Upon accepting the check, the processor signal the cash dispenser to dispense cash to the customer.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The processor may be configured to confirm the identity of the customer based on biometric information about the customer. For example, the biometric information may be an image of the customer""s face, and the apparatus may include a camera configured to obtain the image of the customer""s face. The database of customer information stored on the storage device may include images of customers"" faces, and the processor may compare an image of the customer""s face from the database of customer information to the image of the customer""s face produced by the camera to confirm the identity of the customer. The processor may obtain the image of the customer""s face from the database of customer information based on input signals generated by the input device in response to information supplied by the customer. The camera may be a digital video camera. The apparatus may include a second camera that obtains a second image of the customer""s face, and the processor may compare the two images when confirming the identity of the customer. The apparatus also may include lights positioned to illuminate the customer""s face to improve an image obtained by the camera. The biometric information also may be the customer""s fingerprint.
After confirming the identity of the customer, the processor may determine automatically whether to accept or reject the check by applying a set of business rules. The business rules may be defined generally to permit the processor to accept the check if the customer has used the apparatus previously to cash a previous check for a similar amount from a payor associated with the check.
The processor may access the database of customer information using an input signal generated by the input device in response to identification information, such as an identification number, supplied by the customer using the input device. Alternatively, the processor may access the database of customer information using identification information, such as the customer""s name, provided by the check reader.
The processor may accept the check when the database of customer information includes a record for the customer and criteria stored in the record for the customer are met. When the storage device also includes a database of payor information, the processor may accept the check when the database of customer information includes a record for the customer, criteria stored in the record for the customer are met, the database of payor information includes a record for a payor of the check, and criteria stored in the record for the payor are met. The processor may reject the check when a criterion stored in the record for the customer is not met, or a criterion stored in the record for the payor is not met.
The apparatus may include an automated teller machine that itself includes the input device, the check reader, and the cash dispenser. The automated teller machine also may include a card reader, and the apparatus may be configured to perform banking transactions associated with an account identified by a card inserted into the card reader.
The apparatus may include an output device for providing information to the customer. For example, the input device and the output device may be provided by a touch screen display. The output device may be a speaker, and the apparatus may include a voice synthesizer connected to the speaker and configured to provide spoken information to the customer through the speaker. The input device may be a numeric keypad.
The apparatus may be included in a check-cashing system that also includes a remotely-located service center. For example, several check-cashing apparatuses may be located in convenience stores or other locations, and may be served by a single service center located in a central location. The check-cashing apparatus may include a communications device connected to the processor, and the service center may include a communications device configured to communicate with the communications device of the check-cashing apparatus using, for example, a public telephone network.
The processor of the check-cashing apparatus may be configured to contact the remotely-located service center for assistance when the database of customer information does not include a record for the customer presenting a check, or the database of payor information does not include a record for the payor of the check. The processor also may contact the service center for assistance when the processor is unable to confirm the identity of the customer.
The service center may include a storage device including a central database of customer information and an electronic processor connected to the communications device and the storage device. The processor may be configured to receive information about a customer and a check from the communications device, access the central database of customer information to obtain data about the customer, determine automatically whether to accept or reject the check based on the received information and the data about the customer, and control the communications device to transmit an indication of whether the check should be accepted or rejected.
The processor of the service center may be configured to accept the check when the central database of customer information includes a record for the customer and criteria stored in the record for the customer are met, and to contact a human operator at the service center for assistance when the central database of customer information does not include a record for the customer. The processor of the service center may be configured to reject the check when a criterion stored in the record for the customer is not met. The processor of the service center may control the communications device to transmit information for use in updating the database of customer information at the check-cashing apparatus after contacting the human operator for assistance. The database of customer information stored on the storage device of the check-cashing apparatus may include only a partial subset of the customer information of the central database of customer information.
The service center may include a display device for use by a human operator, and the processor of the service center may be configured to automatically accept a check when the check meets a set of acceptance criteria, automatically reject the check when the check meets a set of rejection criteria, and display information about the check on the display device when the check meets a set of intervention criteria, to permit the human operator to accept or reject the check. The information displayed about the check may include an intervention criterion met by the check.
When the check-cashing apparatus includes an automated teller machine, the check-cashing apparatus may be configured to perform banking transactions associated with an account identified by a card inserted into the card reader, and the communications device of the check-cashing apparatus may be configured to transmit information about checks and information about the banking transactions to the service center. The service center may be configured to distinguish between information about checks and information about banking transactions. For example, the service center may be configured to process information about checks and to forward information about banking transactions to a banking network provider.
In another aspect, generally, the invention features a check-cashing system that includes a first check-cashing unit, a second check-cashing unit, and a service center remotely located from the check-cashing units and including a communications device. Each check-cashing unit includes a storage device including a database of customer information, a check reader configured to receive and read a check to be processed, a cash dispenser, a communications device configured to communicate with the communications device of the service center, and an electronic processor connected to the storage device, the check reader, the cash dispenser, and the communications device. The electronic processor is configured to receive information about a check to be processed from the check reader, access the database of customer information to obtain data about a customer presenting the check to be processed, determine automatically whether to accept or reject the check to be processed based on the received information about the check and the data about the customer, and, upon accepting the check, signal the cash dispenser to dispense cash to the customer presenting the check. Embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the features described above.
In another aspect, generally, the invention features a service center for a check-cashing system. The service center includes a communications device configured to receive from a remotely-located cash-checking unit information about a check and a customer presenting the check, a storage device including a central database of customer information, and an electronic processor connected to the communications device and the storage device. The electronic processor is configured to receive information about a customer and a check from the communications device, access the central database of customer information to obtain data about the customer, determine automatically whether to accept or reject the check based on the received information and the data about the customer, and control the communications device to transmit to the check-cashing unit an indication of whether the check should be accepted or rejected. Embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the features described above.
In yet another aspect, generally, the invention features a method of processing a check. The method includes receiving information about a check to be processed from a check reader, accessing a database of customer information to obtain data about a customer presenting the check, determining whether to accept or reject the check based on the received information about the check and the data about the customer, and upon accepting the check, signaling a cash dispenser to dispense cash to the customer presenting the check. Embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the features described above.
A check-cashing unit produces an image of the front and back of the customer""s check and analyzes the image to extract information about the check and to verify the authenticity and amount of the check. The check-cashing unit also verifies the customer""s identity using biometric information such as an image of the customer""s face (known as facial biometrics). Use of biometric information permits customers to perform transactions without providing a membership card or other form of identification.
After verifying the customer""s identity, the check-cashing unit applies a set of business rules to determine whether the check cashing unit is authorized to automatically cash the check. In general, the business rules will permit the check-cashing unit to cash the check if the customer has used the check-cashing unit previously to cash a check from the same payor for a similar amount.
If the check-cashing unit is not authorized to automatically cash the check, the check-cashing unit telephones a centralized services center (xe2x80x9cCSCxe2x80x9d) to seek authorization. The CSC may automatically authorize the transaction. For example, since the CSC generally has more data available to it than does the check-cashing unit, the CSC may be able to recognize the customer as one who normally uses a different check-cashing unit, and may authorize the transaction for that reason. The CSC also may involve an operator in determining whether to authorize the transaction. For example, if the customer has not previously cashed a check using the check-cashing unit or a related check-cashing unit, the operator may verify the customer""s identity by referencing a database that includes information about the customer""s current and previous addresses, telephone numbers, and neighbors. Access to a database suitable for this purpose is available, for example, from Integrated Database Software, Inc. of Villa Park, Ill. Computers at the CSC provide detailed screen prompting to permit even minimally-trained personnel to follow the steps of cashing a check.
In general, automatic check approval may take about two minutes per transaction. When CSC intervention is required, processing times may be on the order of fifteen minutes per transaction.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, including the drawings, and from the claims.